Family Ties
by WoogyInDaHouse
Summary: When meeting a strange teen who shares powers similar to that of her and her sisters, Paige Matthews is instantly enthralled. Setting about teaching him the craft, the Charmed ones have no idea that the Rowe coven have similar plans.
1. Chapter 1

**Charmed**

**Family Ties.**

Prologue -

Eleanor Grant sat in the living room, a book propped open in her hands. Her teenage son, Darren, was in his room, his music playing loudly. Eleanor was a tall blonde woman, her hair in a short bob down to her neck.

"I've been hoping to get you on you own, Eleanor." Spoke a drawling voice, from behind her. Reacting quickly, she stood and rounded on the voice. A man stood there, tall and dark. His long matted black hair came down to his eyes, which were a vibrant red.

"Who are you?" She asked, as she stepped back. The man laughed.

"How rude of me." He said sarcastically. "Gibson Rowe, I'll be you murderer for the evening."

Eleanor gasped placing a hand on her chest and backed away even more, so much so that she was now pressed against the wall.

"Rowe?" She breathed. "No. it's not possible! You were all vanquished by the Charmed ones!"

Gibson withdrew an anthem.

"No, not all of us." Said Gibson "some of us anticipated your cousin's victory, and went into hiding."

"What do you want?" Asked Eleanor, trying to hide the fear in her voice, but there was still traces of it in her words.

"We want what's rightfully ours!" He exclaimed. "Our ancestor worked _so _hard to work his way into the Warren line, and plant his seed. And it worked, your ancestor, Adele Grant, she fell in love with my ancestor, they had a child and seven generations later, here we are one of the most powerful magical beings of all time!"

Eleanor looked at Gibson with a mixture of Fear and bewilderment.

"I believe you call him, Darren!" Gibson shouted angrily; spit flying maliciously from his mouth.

"No!" Shouted Eleanor, suddenly feeling much more confident. "I won't let you take him!"

An evil grin spread across Gibson's face. He raised the anthem, and polished the already immaculately shiny blade.

"I was hoping it would go down this way." He lunged at Eleanor, driving the blade directly at her stomach. Eleanor quickly ducked and ran across the room.

Gibson turned, and lunged again. Eleanor acted as quickly as he did. She plunged her hand out towards her attacker. Instantly, a pure white beam shot from her palm. It collided with the oncoming warlock, and as it did he screeched in pain.

Gibson made a last effort to defeat his opponent, realising that he still held the blade; he plunged it forward and embedded the steel, deep within Eleanor's chest. Each had the other in a hold. Eleanor held the warlock with her power, which was slowly incinerating him. And, Gibson had Eleanor immobilised as her life quickly drained away. Gibson's flesh began to burn. He screeched in pain. Suddenly, an implosion of flames engulfed him, the smell of burning skin swept across Eleanor's face. As quickly as they came, the flames disappeared taking the warlock with it, leaving a pale Eleanor standing limply, the anthem sticking out of her rib cage. She let out a gasp of pain and fell hard onto the wooden floor. Eleanor lay motionless on the ground. A blank expression on her pale face, her clothes was soaked in a deep red.

A tall dark haired boy came into the living area. Staring down at an MP3 player, he did not notice the body of his dead mother, sprawled across the floor. However, when he turned to see where she was, his face fell. For a few moments he just stared at her. Doing nothing. just absorbing the image. The blood. The expression. The knife.

Chapter 1

_Something Wicca this way comes. _

"Paige!" Cried Mr Gowan. "Paige! Where is the Simmons case file?"

Sat at a cluttered desk, Paige Matthews squinted at her computer screen. She had pale skin and dark brown hair. Her vibrant clothes weren't the only thing peculiar about this woman. She was a witch, one of the most powerful witches of all time. Along with her two sisters, Piper and Phoebe. Together they formed the charmed ones. They alone would have to battle demons and warlocks, or whatever else the underworld threw at them, it was there destiny, laid out for them by Melinda Warren, who vowed all of this moments before being burned at the stake, after being accused of witchcraft.

"I'm printing it now, sir." She said. Although Mr Gowan hated Paige's lack of organisation, he never fired her, due to the fact that she was an excellent social worker.

"Oh!" Paige called as Mr Gowan walked past her, holding the freshly printed pages. "The boy has expressed the fact that he would like to stay in the city. I've included all of this in my report, but I just wanted to make sure you knew before you went to the meeting with his family."

Mr Gowan frowned. "Look Paige. The boy's aunt and uncle are the only ones left to take care of him. They live in L.A and are taking him with them. I'm sorry."

"Sure…" Paige muttered as her boss walked away. "…because it would just be much easier to ignore what _he _wanted wouldn't it. I mean it's only his whole life you're laying out for him."

Just then the doors to South Bay social serviced opened, it was a boy. He had dark hair and was being escorted by two social assistants. Paige looked up at him. She didn't know why but she could feel a pull towards this boy. Almost like a need to help. She stood up and walked over to the assistants.

"Who's that?" She asked.

"Boy named Darren Grant. Found his mother murdered in his house." The assistant explained.

"How awful!" Paige gasped. "Did he see who did it?"

The assistant shook her head. "He says he was in his room at the time, couldn't hear over his music."

"Staff meeting!" Mr Gowan called to the social workers.

Paige followed her colleagues into a room with a large wooden table, positioned right in the middle. As they all sat, Mr Gowan spoke.

"Ok, we have…The Farrell case. Judy, you a Paul take that one. Hailey, can you see to the Garrison file? The fathers absent, and the mothers an alcoholic." He paused looking down at a long list.

"Ok." He continued. "We have a boy, he's fifteen years old, and his mother just passed away. I want Donald and Rosie on this one; I believe you have experience in this situation. See if you can"- "I'll do it!" Paige interjected. Mr Gowan looked up.

"You?" He said. "Why?"

"I don't know. I just feel like I might be able to help him. Please." Paige explained.

"Ok, you can take this one. Donald, Rosie you can have the Redding Case."

As soon as the meeting adjourned, Paige planned on introducing herself to the boy.

"Hi!" she said holding her hand out to him. He just stared at her, not accepting the greeting.

"Um. My names Paige Matthews. It's my job to look after you, and to make sure that you are looked after."

Still he stared at her; his glare seemed to burn into Paige.

"I know what it's like to loose your mom." Paige sat next to him. "I lost my birth mother when I was born and my adoptive mother when I was sixteen."

The boy turned to look at Paige; he had tears in his eyes. "Was your mother brutally murdered?" He asked angrily.

"No. She died in a car accident." Said Paige. Instantly the boy relaxed.

"Sorry." He muttered.

"It doesn't matter. It happened a long time ago." Paige fell silent as she began to think of her mom.

"So." She said breaking herself from her thoughts. "I'm going to put you in a temporary orphanage." The boy looked at her, an annoyed glint in his eyes. "Don't worry!" Paige said reassuringly. "It's only until we find somewhere more permanent."

Paige walked up the steps to the Halliwell Manor, leaden with files and documents. As she stepped through the front door, she was immediately confronted by Piper.

"Could you please look after the boys tonight?" Piper asked. She was a pretty woman, with dark brown hair flowing down to her waist. She was dressed in a black dress with a purse to match.

"Yeah, sure," Said Paige. "You and Leo going out for dinner?"

Piper nodded. "Yes, and Phoebe cant do it, she has to stay at the paper,"

"Ready?" Asked a male voice. Leo came down the stars. He was a tall burly man, wearing a suit.

"Yeah, just booking Paige," Piper explained. "Now, the boys have been fed, and bathed. All you need to do is put them to bed and maybe read Chris a story; he's been having trouble getting to sleep."

Leo and Piper joined hands and walked from the house.

"Bye!" Paige called after them.

"That's mine!" Chris came running down the stairs, slowly followed by Wyatt. Chris was holding a toy car.

"Hey!" Paige called running after them. "Chris you give that back to Wyatt, now,"

"But he stole it from me!" Chris complained. Wyatt and Chris were Piper's children. And as all siblings do, they argued. However normal siblings couldn't throw each other a few feet into the air with a wave of there hand, nor could normal siblings orb to Tahiti when they were sent to the room. Since they were the decedents of a charmed one and a whitelighter they possessed considerable power.

"Wyatt, did you steal it from Chris?" Paige glared at her eldest nephew.

"Yes." Wyatt muttered looking at the floor.

"Well then, leave Chris alone! You've got your own toys. Now both of you go brush your teeth and get ready for bed, and I'll come and read you both a story." Paige lectured.

Later that evening after finally getting the boys off to sleep, Paige pulled out her files, poured her self some wine and got to work. Also with her files was the ancient piece of paper that was the family tree. Paige was sure she had seen the name Grant on there somewhere and even though there was probe ably more than one set of Grants in the world, she still had to check.

"Oh my god!" She exclaimed. Looking at the family tree she saw the names, Eleanor Grant, and then a line followed by Darren Grant. She _was_ related to the boy. He was her second cousin. Paige pondered this for a moment then it dawned on her.

"He's a direct descendent from Melinda Warren!"

This had to mean that he had the Warren family traits; the strong cheek bones, bad temper and oh yes, the powers. She couldn't believe it. However, after rechecking the names and cross referencing them with the file given to her on the boy by social services, she was convinced. He was her cousin, a fellow witch. This meant that his mother was a witch too.

Paige rushed over to the phone.

"Hi Darryl," Paige said cheerily down the receiver. "I was just wondering whether I could have a favour? No it's got nothing to do with magic! Or at least not directly, I'm not sure. Could you send me the file on the murder of, Eleanor Grant?" She paused, listening to the ranting of Darryl.

"I can't just send you a murder file!" He shouted. "It's illegal!"

"I know but, it's important!" Paige argued back. "And besides, I could always orb it to me…"

"Ok, fine! I'll fax it to you now." Darryl said in defeat.

"Thank you." She hung up.

Paige collected the pages out of the fax machines printer dock then rushed over to her seat, opened the file and read.

_The victim was stabbed with a double edged steel knife…_

An anthem. Paige thought.

_No sign of forced entrance, doors and windows were locked..._

Demons don't need doors!

_Victims room had a closed, within was substantial evidence to suggest the victim was associated with the occult…_

She was a witch! This means Darren is one too!

The usual creaking of the manors front door caused Paige to look up.

"Henry, hi!!"

It was Paige's husband; he was a police officer for the San Francisco's specials team. Paige allowed him to plant a kiss on her cheek.

"Rough day?" She asked him.

"Ah, just the usual!" He sat next to Paige and peered over her shoulder at her work.

"What you doing?" He asked seeing the family tree scattered among dozens of papers.

"Oh, just checking something," Paige said evasively. "Wine?"

"Sure," Henry replied.

Paige raised her arm and called, "Wine!" A mass of white light masked the bottle of wine sitting on the kitchen counter, disappeared taking the bottle with it, then reappeared in another swirl of light, leaving the wine in Paige's outstretched hand.

"Personal gain," said Henry. Paige rolled her eyes.

"I think I've gained enough today," Paige said airily.

"What?" Asked Henry.

"Never mind, just drink your wine." Paige said handing hi a glass.

Paige decided that she would go to the orphanage tomorrow and break the news to Darren, she wasn't sure how he would take it, but she felt that she had to tell him. For the rest of the evening she and Henry talked and drank, she needed to relax.


	2. Chapter 2 Reunited

Chapter 2

_Re-united._

Paige awoke next morning and left the house quickly as not to disturb the others who were still sleeping. It felt weird living back at the Manor, Paige had moved in with Henry six years ago, but after a major demon battle that occurred there a few weeks ago, the house was in-hospitable not to mention un-recognisable and she was forced to move back in with Piper and Leo.

As she was driving down the road to the orphanage, she stopped at the news agents and grabbed a coffee and paper.

"Hello?" She called as she stood on the cold steps to the orphanage. Footsteps could be heard on the other side of the door followed by a woman's voice, she sounded shaky.

"Who is it?"

"Paige Matthews, south bay social services," Paige replied. The woman on the inside un-bolted the door and opened it for Paige to enter. She was an old woman, and was wearing a nightshirt. She looked worried.

"Hi, I'm here to see, Darren Grant," Said Paige. Tears swelled in the woman's eyes, and she began to sob.

"What's wrong?" Paige asked as she placed a comforting arm around the woman's shoulders.

"He's gone!" she cried. "We found his room empty this morning and…"

"What? Tell me, what else?" Paige held the woman by the shoulders and gazed into her huge swollen eyes. Paige ran up the stairs, she knew she would never get anymore out of the woman, she was too distraught. When Paige came to a landing, she headed for an open door to her right.

"Oh my god!" She screamed. Spread eagled on the floor was a man; he was surrounded by a pool of blood, emanating from a double edge steel knife, sticking out of his side. Paige heard another sob from behind her, it was the woman. She was kneeling on the floor, tears streaming down her face. Lay next to her was a cordless phone.

"Listen," Paige said running over to the woman. "We need to go down stairs. Have you rung the police?"

The woman nodded.

"Good," Paige lifted her on to her feet, and then led her towards the staircase. By this time more people were coming out of the other rooms. Paige quickly turned and closed the hard wood door, so that the orphans couldn't see the horror inside.

---------------

Paige rushed up the steps and into the manor. Hurrying to the attic, she completely ignored her sisters calling after her.

"What's up?" Phoebe said as she came through the attic door.

"Nothing," She replied flatly.

"C'mon Paige," Phoebe said. "There has to be a reason why you're so wound up."

Paige stopped flipping through the ancient pages of _the book of shadows _and turned to her sisters.

"Okay," She began, sitting down on an old trunk. "There's a boy."

"I knew it was guy trouble!" Phoebe joked.

"No," Paige rolled her eyes. "He's a teenager."

"Ok, I know we try and get them young Paige, but that's just sick." Said Phoebe grimacing.

"Would you just listen!" Paige shouted. She was extremely tense, and not in the mood for Phoebes antics. "He was brought in to social services yesterday. His mom was killed in his house, and from what I can gather, it seems demonic."

"Demonic?" Piper asked cautiously. "How do you know?"

"Well, she was stabbed with an atheme, had occult paraphernalia in her house and- this is the interesting part- she was related to us." Paige watched her sisters come up to speed.

"What?" Phoebe asked. "Related how, through dad? Or what…."

Paige shook her head. "No not through your dad. Through mom,"

Piper rose from her seat and gawped at Paige, half confused, half overwhelmed.

"Through mom? That makes her a direct descendent of"-

"Melinda Warren." Phoebe cut across.

"And that means Darren is too," Said Paige.

The sisters gazed at each other for a while; each was processing the information differently. Phoebe confused at the fact that they didn't know about her before. Piper, cautious at the fact that there could be evil magic at work here, luring them into a false sense of security, and then attacking when there defence is down trying to steal the _book_. And Paige, excited at the fact of another magically inclined being to learn about and teach the craft.

"But," Paige broke the ominous silence. "I don't think he knows he has powers, and when I went to talk to him this morning, he'd gone. Climed right out of the window, and a social worker was murdered, again with an atheme. My guess is, somebody wants him, badly. And when they tried to steal him from his mother, they were stopped by her, and now they tried again and an innocent man got in the way."

"Well we need to find him," Said Piper. The sisters nodded in unison.

"I'll get the crystal," Said Phoebe. "But we'll need something of his to scry with."

"I'll go back to the orphanage, and see if I can get something of his." Paige grabbed her keys and started from the attic.

"Hurry!" Piper called after her.

----------------

Once again Paige pulled up in front of the grim-looking orphanage. The police had left now, but there were still lots of yellow crime scene tape draped over the buildings entrances. As she walked up the steps, a tall black man wearing a beige Armani travelling coat exited holding a note pad.

"Darryl," Said Paige walking over to him. He looked at her and immediately sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Is there no crime in this city that isn't magical?" He moaned.

"Probe ably" Paige replied. "But you must just be drawn to the supernatural ones."

"What are you doing here?" Darryl asked dismissing Paige's last comment.

"I need another favour." She said timidly. For a moment it looked as though Darryl was going to argue, but he had learned from past experience that he would just lose.

"What do you need?"

"Something personal of Darren's," Said Paige. "We need it to scry with."

"Well," Darryl started. "He didn't bring much with him. But there are a few pieces of clothing. Their in a suitcase at the foot of his bed."

"Thanks," Paige continued to walk the steps until.

"Paige!" Darryl shouted. "He's in a lot of trouble isn't he? Demonic trouble."

Paige nodded.

"Find him Paige. Before _they_ do."

Paige walked in to the bedroom, instantly a strange shiver crept down her spine, as she remembered the body that lay just a few feet away from where she was standing. Now there was just the chalky outline of a man and a dark stain on the floor that was the blood.

Seeing the suitcase she stepped around the outline and opened the lid. Inside lay a few pieces of clothing just thrown into the bottom. Paige made to grab a shirt lying on top of another, when suddenly, something caught her eyes. It was a chain, with a bright red ruby attached to the bottom of it. Instinctively she picked it up and began to inspect it.

"Give that to me." A deep male voice had sounded behind her. She turned on the spot and faced the man. He was tall and butch, wearing a shabby top which was torn in places and dark pants. His eyes glowed a vibrant red, which was reflected of the shiny blade of the atheme inches away from his face.

"Who are you?" She asked confidently.

"Someone who's going to kill you, if you don't give me that amulet right now!" He spat.

"Sorry," Paige replied coolly. "But I don't respond well to death threats."

"Then you'll die!" The warlock charged at Paige, but she was ready. Orbing out defensively, she disappeared leaving the warlock standing confused. Then re-appearing behind him, she kicked distributing a lethal attack and causing him to fall forwards.

"Witch!" He yelled.

"Atheme!" Paige cried. Bright white lights swallowed the knife, and it plummeted into the wall entrenching it's self into the plasterboard.

She raised her hand and instantaneously a bright ball of orbs appeared.

The warlock stared at her for a moment.

"NO!"

"Tell the Source I said hi!" She threw her hand forward and as she did, the ball of orbs leapt from her hand, spun through the air and collided with the warlock. He screeched in pain. Tiny orb particles could be seen in the corners of his eyes, mouth and nostrils, then escalated from there to tears that formed in his flesh. Then with a final scream he exploded, orbs were flying everywhere then finally the room was left motionless.

-------------

"Got it," Said Paige as she walked into the attic.

"What did you get?" Asked Phoebe (No pun intended)

"Shirt," She replied passing it to Piper who instantly began to scry with it. "But, I also found this." Paige held up the amulet so her sisters could see it.

"What is it?" Asked Piper.

"An amulet," Said Paige "And I had to fight a warlock for it." Piper and Phoebe both looked at Paige and surveyed her.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I vanquished him. Why do you think they wanted it?" Said Paige.

"Could have been his mothers." Piper suggested. "I mean she was a witch, makes sense."

"Mm," Paige was very intrigued by the amulet. She felt like she had to find out where it came from.

"Found him!" Piper exclaimed.

"Where?" Phoebe and Paige walked over to the map Piper was using.

"Uh, 1456 Hammond St." Piper explained.

"That's his mom's house." Said Paige.

-------------

When they had pulled up to the house, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige walked up the wooden steps on to a porch area and headed for the front door, it was open.

"Ok," Said Paige. "Let's spread out. Piper, Phoebe you take upstairs I'll check downstairs."

Stepping into the house, Piper, Phoebe and Paige went there instructed ways.

Paige opened a door that led into a dark room, inside was a sofa and a television.

As she stepped into the room, a small scuttling noise sounded from the far corner of the room.

"Darren?" She called. "Darren, its Paige Matthews, social services!" Darren did not reply. "Look, I just want to talk. I know you scared and upset, and feel like you're on your own, but, I can help you."

"No you cant," Said a small voice. Paige slowly made her way over to him.

"It's ok," Said Paige, placing a comforting hand on his. "I won't hurt you,"

Darren was staring fixatedly and a spot on the floor a few feet away. Noticing this Paige tried to distract him from remembering the loss of his mother.

"Do you remember when I told you that I lost my mom?" Paige asked.

Darren slowly nodded. "So, I know what you're going through. Believe me, it gets easier, you move on and it's not so painful to remember."

Darren looked at Paige tearfully.

"I don't know where to go from here," He muttered. "I don't have any family left, first my dad died and now my mom…" He looked away from Paige, who suddenly realised she herself was tearing up.

"C'mon," Said Paige. "We've got to get you out of here." She stood and held her hand out for Darren. He took it and allowed him self to be lifted from the cold floor.

"We'll take you back to my house, and then I'll call social services, let them know your ok." Paige made to leave when suddenly Darren stopped.

"I can't!" He yelled. "They're after me!"

"It's ok, I can protect you," Paige reassured him. "I have sisters, there here too, looking for you." Right on queue Piper and Phoebe walked in to the dark room.

"That's Piper," Said Paige pointing at her sister. "And that's Phoebe."

"We have been very worried about you," Said Piper. "C'mon lets go."

-------------

Darren sat at the kitchen table; Paige placed a cup of hot chocolate in front of him.

"Drink that, I'll be right back," Paige walked from the kitchen and into the parlour, where her two sisters were waiting for her.

"How is he?" Asked Piper.

"Just scared, he'll be alright." Said Paige.

"We were wondering," Phoebe spoke. "Have you figured out what you're going to tell him, I mean about his powers?"

Paige looked blank. "How do you drop that into conversation?"

The sisters sat in silence, which was abruptly broken by the ringing of Paige's cell Phone.

"Hello?" She spoke. "Oh, hi Mr Gowan. What? You can't send him back to that orphanage! He saw somebody get murdered there that's why! Well I don't know where he could stay! But he has no family!"

"Technically, that's not true," Said Phoebe. Paige glared at her sister.

"What so you want him to stay here?" Paige argued at Phoebe. "No I wasn't talking to you Mr Gowan. Wait, you _want _him to stay with me? Why?" After many minuets of arguing, Paige and her boss had finally come to an agreement; Darren would stay with Paige until other housing could be found.

"Hey," Paige said. Darren looked up from staring at the scrubbed kitchen table. "You're going to stay here for a while, ok?"

Darren nodded.

"Ok, lets go and find somewhere for you to sleep." She led Darren into the parlour. Two small children were playing on the floor.

"Oh," Paige exclaimed. "This is Wyatt and Chris." Darren gently smiled at the children. "Their Pipers kids,"

You can stay in mine and Henrys room; we'll sleep on the hide abed."

Darren scanned the bedroom, then walked over to and sat on the bed.

Paige was considering telling him now about there being related to each other, but stopped her self when she saw him lay down.

Paige stood awkwardly in the doorway tapping her hands against her legs.

"I'll bring your stuff up," She turned on her heel and walked down stairs.

"I don't know how to tell him Piper!" Paige yelled later that night.

"Well you've got to!" Piper shouted back.

"Hey! What's going on?" Asked Phoebe, stepping in-between her sisters, who looked like they were about to draw daggers.

"Paige won't tell Darren what he deserves to know!" Said Piper.

Paige sighed. "Well what do I say?"

"Just explain it to him! Show him proof!"

"And what do I say about the powers part! Huh?" Paige sat on the couch head in hands. Piper sat opposite and stared at the floor.

"Okay," Said Phoebe. "How about this: Paige, _you_ explain to him about how we are related. Then, we'll _all _explain to him about the magic- we'll break it to him easily. Then, when he wants proof we will show him."

"And you think he will just accept that!" Paige shouted.

"I think Phoebe has the right idea," Said Piper. Paige stood and walked to the front door.

"Fine. We can tell him tomorrow." Paige turned from her sisters and exited the Manor.


End file.
